How do we ensure vertical articulation relating to language across the curriculum? Who monitors this? How is it assessed?
How is assessment/reporting of student progress modified according to students’ language proficiency and age/grade level?
(Why) is our assessment model performance-based?
How do we use assessment of student progress in language acquisition to modify curriculum and teaching practices?
Is our curriculum standards-based? If not, should it be? How is this achieved? What are the implications for language policy?
Is our curriculum model assessment-driven? What are the implications for language policy?
(To what extent) is our curriculum enquiry/research/constructivist based? What are the implications for language policy?
How do we ensure differentiated learning and assessment in relation to language?
TEACHING PRACTICES Stage 2: Complete by end April 2007
What are the links between language and learning, and how do we accommodate these in our teaching practices?
Is English the only language of instruction?
What are the roles and responsibilities of teachers, TA’s and support staff?
What are the expectations of teachers, assistants and students?
Are all teachers expected to be language teachers?
Do we provide ESL training for teachers?
What are the implications of language policy for recruitment, orientation, motivation and retention of teachers?
How do we ensure common practices of linguistic instruction across the curriculum?
Do we provide language acquisition training for teachers?
What other forms of professional development should we provide for teachers and TA’s?
(How) do we appraise teacher competence in relation to implementation of language policy?
Do we publish “correct/incorrect” student work? How important is presentation?
To what degree should there be differentiation of instruction by policy, and how does differentiation of instruction relate to language learning and “conceptual” learning?
How is subject specific vocabulary/language structure addressed?
What assessment practices, including standardized tests, should we use?
What accommodations are made in assessment/examinations for students of different language proficiencies (ESL/reading/writing/listening/speaking)?
How do we differentiate instruction/assessment within the different language groups of non-English speaking students?
How do we create/maintain high academic expectations of all students regardless of (English) language proficiency?
How do we ensure the language development of all students (teaching, assessment and reporting practices)?
How can teachers help/support each other? What help/support should the administration provide?
Should we stream students according to language proficiency in non-language subjects?
LANGUAGE OFFERINGS Stage 2: Complete by end April 2007
Once started, must the school offer a student the same foreign language until graduation?
What are the criteria for choosing the language offerings in the IB Diploma program?
Who pays for language classes (school versus ‘untaught’ languages in the IB diploma program)?
How do we evaluate/revise the curriculum/teaching practices of the different language offerings?
For each language how many levels do we offer?
Do we provide language classes for employees and parents?
How will teachers be employed/trained to teach the different language offerings?
Is there a minimum number of students for a language class? What happens when students leave and the class gets smaller?
What linguistic instruction do we provide in each language – e.g. aspects of speech, word forms, language structure, handwriting etc. To what extent are these common to all languages and how do we ensure consistency?
How is linguistic instruction articulated vertically and horizontally within and between different languages and across the curriculum?
How do we establish/maintain/monitor/evaluate/revise a common writing policy? Does the same policy apply for all languages?
There are enough questions.
Answers/feelings to these would encourage progress.
CURRICULUM
Stage 2: Complete by end April 2007
TEACHING PRACTICES
Stage 2: Complete by end April 2007
LANGUAGE OFFERINGS
Stage 2: Complete by end April 2007